Veterans: Newest Addition to the Health Care Debate

For weeks now, health care reform has taken center stage in Washington, on every news program, and in contentious town halls across the country.  Not even the Army's troubling suicide numbers, the fate of the American POW being held by the Taliban, or the elections being held this week in Afghanistan have been able to break through this non-stop media circus.

After the new GI Bill went into effect earlier this month, it looked like August might actually be a slow time for vets' issues.  I was prepared to spend hours watching pre-season football and America's Best Dance Crew.  But then veterans joined doctors, the British and everybody's Grandma as the latest group to be thrust into the national health care fight.  And maybe it's about time.  The "health care reform will destroy the VA" rumors were starting to pop up at town halls almost as frequently as protesters with handguns.

So this week, we got a brief respite from the "public options" and the "death panels" to hear from the Administration about the implications of the proposed health care reform on the nation's largest health care provider, the VA.  Hundreds of veterans were in attendance to hear President Obama and VA Secretary Shinseki address this issue firsthand at the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention and two town halls in Pennsylvania.  They promised America's veterans that despite the rumors, VA health care will be protected.

There are still many unknowns about the direction the country will take with health care reform.  But one thing is certain: any national health care plan must ensure that all veterans can continue to take full advantage of VA health care - without added penalty or cost.  Veterans groups have been united in voicing this position loud and clear.  The VA may not be perfect, but it is a critical part of the sacred covenant that exists between the American public and its veterans.

Despite its well-publicized challenges in recent years, the VA health care system delivers the highest quality services to millions of veterans.  With more than 170 hospitals, hundreds of clinics, and Vet Centers, the VA is seen as a leader in the health care industry for its medical research, electronic health records, and patient satisfaction scores.  Experts widely agree that VA health care is "equivalent to, or better than, care in any private or public health care system."  And while improvements must be made with regards to access to care, the veterans' health care system must be protected. 

But we can't stop there.  We must also find ways to improve the VA, a health care system that serves 8 million veterans.  In the coming months, politicians on both sides of the aisle must work together to improve mental health care, expand rural access to the VA, and improve services for female veterans. With the country now focused on health care, there is no better time to address the unique health care challenges facing veterans.

Yesterday, President Obama pledged, "One thing that reform won't change is veterans' health care.  No one is going to take away your benefits.  That's the truth."  When Congress returns to work in September, IAVA and veterans of all generations will be there to ensure this promise is kept.

Crossposted at www.IAVA.org

Follow Paul Rieckhoff on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PaulRieckhoff

Comments

[Alabama John]

SOLDERS IN BODY BAGS -- 95% LABORING MEN

Today as it was during my days in the Vietnam War, 95% enlisted men in the Army are laboring men with less then 12 years of formal education. Also 95% of prisoners in our jails, prisons and insane asylums are laboring men. For officers in law enforcement like offers in the military, they are all of the intelligent middleclass and spend 95% of their time policing laboring men.

Surely a police state for laboring men, and surely healthcare is the least of our worries.

[middleoftheroad]

Paul, I dont know if you have the number or answer questions, but how many people are covered by the VA? Thanks.

[middleoftheroad]

VA health care

[demfriend]

I can tell the tale about middle Ca where there are few clinics in the valley for the VA hospital in Fresno and those that exist have too many people in need of the care for the too few doctors. The mental health support/pr­ofessional­s are way fewer than the need that exists. Services are often appointments canceled without a reschedule in a timely way so the needs are not quite met. My father died while under the care of the VA extended health professionals. They had to farm out his care to local nursing companies as they had no home health care then as they do now. The care is spotty at best unless you live in Fresno and care adjust your life and have health insurance seperate from the VA. There is more funding I understand coming for mental health care but too little way too late? The VA system cannot be all to all people when the discharged from active duty is added on the top of the existing from Vietnam Vets on to todays vets and it also should never be relaxed attention to it paid.

[demfriend]

The media is ignoring the war and the troops while the non stop lobbyists/insurance company paid for lies about what the health insurance reform bill is even about, is whipped up like prune pudding. The VA is not a perfect system as there are holes in coverage due to lack of funds and offices in rural areas but the VA is some coverage for tose who deserve more. Those who are making the fear based lies the headlines are those who have excellent health insurance coverage so they face no losses themselves. For a six month period if the Congress had to have either Medicaid/Medicare or VA health coverage alone perhaps reality would be the real basis for reform rather than someones lies. I would love to haev the health care they have in the UK rather than the no insurance coverage I have now and looks like I will never have coverage again.

[Dosadi]

I spent a week in a VA hospital three weeks ago. I must have been on another planet. I was impressed with the care, happy with the equipment and found none of the faults mentioned in the book I just read disguised as a post. Sorry, I came, I stayed, I liked.

[edgarcaycedoc]

Didja ever hear of "Hoover's Bonus Army?" You can trust this country to take care of its veterans--not.

[larry278]

TYPO: insert the word, is, between This & becoming.

[zorak1704]

I'm a disabled veteran. My local V.A. clinic provides me with top of the line health care. I get complete physicals every 6 months. I get eye exams every 2 years. Since I've been unemployed, I get prescriptions at no cost. When I have to go to the main V.A. hospital in Cleveland for specialty clinics, I never wait more than 10 minutes past my appointment time to see a doctor. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes this month. The V.A. provided me with my meter and all supplies and provided me with a class to teach me how to manage this ailment. The only problems I have encountered with the V.A. are the mid-level office types (cubicle dwellers). I call them the gatekeepers. You folks out there probably have the same thing with your private insurers. When I have problems with them, I just contact my patient advocate who clears up the red tape for me. Preventative care is the key here. Catch problems when they are little and cheaper to fix.

[larry278]

Your experience is unique, zorak1704. Waits for over 10 minutes after the time of a scheduled appointment @ VAOPC, Allentown, Pa & VAH, Wilkes Barre, PA are very common & the wait can be as long as 2 hours. As for VA Patient Advocate clearing up red tape, the Patient Advocate @ VAOPC, Allentown, Pa further complicates red tape incident to the VA paying in full for previously approved [by VA] fee based services promptly & fully by directing a veteran to appeal to the Board of Veterans Appeals, VACO, WASHINGTON, DC.
The Pt Advocate @ VAOPC, Allentown, Pa may be unusually incompetent or exceptionally lazy.

[CoolPapa]

Thank you for your service, Zorak. You deserve the best care this nation can provide. Glad it's going well for you...

[CharlieSchwatzmeir]

Page 4 (copy write protected by Charlie Schwatzmeir) I looked at a document from those against health care reform, I “Googled” again and read the “Liberty Counsel’s” document that is a review of the Obama Administration’s Health Care Plan. The statements it made and compared it to the referenced section in the HR bill. I found it difficult to find how ACORN is the telling body used by the government, nowhere in the bill could I find this, It is amusing when the LC says, “Sec. 163, Pg. 59, Lines 21-24 - Government will have direct access to your bank accounts for electronic funds transfer”, doesn’t this already happen when the IRS deposits my refund check electronically to my bank account. These are just examples of my own confusion, I am just as educated, just as responsible, just as average an American, as any other how is all this erupted into death threats and NAZISM associations. Just where are all these folks at these town hall meetings getting their facts.
What can I as any person or we as a nation wishing take from all this, someone is making bank over this fight, someone or some group has a specific interest in keeping the uninsured as a whole uninsured. I am not going to go into conspiracy theories. I would hope the same America that elected its first African-American as president could see past all this crap and make the same educated decision now as they did last November.

[CharlieSchwatzmeir]

Page 3 (copy write protected by Charlie Schwatzmeir) So I sit back trying to understand how the government is taking it over my health care, my secondary insurance is a government program. I see any doctor I like so long as he takes TriCare and so does my wife and children. Medicare has been a government program probably longer than I have been alive, so why many health care reform opponents say the elderly have now is not a government program I am not clear.
Fortunately, we live in a nation that has a public school attendance contract with at least the standard that everyone needs to be able to read, so reading the bill should not be an issue. This takes me back to my opinion of how about each individual that would like to know more read the darn bill themselves. I did just that, now I am not a political operator, a hack, talking head, healthcare employee. I work in the Oil & Gas Industry, and I do try to be an up-to-date citizen making my own decisions. I “Googled’ the bill and yep all 1000 pages showed up in pdf format. Since much liveliness, the past couple of weeks are on the “Death Panels”. I used the search and found two references on death that involved a payout of $100,000. I found no references to ‘panel’ or ‘death panels’.

[CharlieSchwatzmeir]

Page 2 (copy write protected by Charlie Schwatzmei­r)Everythi­ng I have read listened to and heard says the whole idea of health care reform is a bad idea I find this hard to believe considering the high costs. My parents are both in their late seventies and live in Pennsylvania, they have no concerns or fears about “Death Panels” so just were is this coming from, are my parents ignorant and just do not understand the bill? I doubt it since my father is a retired Constitutional Law Professor and my mother retired Schoolteacher. They are some of the most knowledgeable people I know. I regularly seek out their opinions on matters in current events and politics.
During the 2008 Presidential Campaign, I listened to Obama speeches, watched the debated, read articles about his policies and read transcripts of what he said and his supporters. What I took from his Health Care Reform plan was a few points. First what we have is not working. Second, He wants to provide health care to those that do not have it currently, not take away or change health for those that do have it. Third, he wants to give the same health care to the folks without it as government employees now enjoy.

[CharlieSchwatzmeir]

Page 1 (copy write protected by Charlie Schwatzmeir)
Let us talk about health care reform. I am fortunate I have two insurances, a primary through my employer and a secondary because I am retired military. I have positives for each and negatives for each. For example, my secondary insurance has the dreaded catastrophic cap of $3000, it takes several ER or regular doctor visits to get to this cap. The extra insurance helps any way. I have no dental or eye coverage with TRICARE since it is separate and wants a big premium. Through my current employer dental is only $40 a month for the basic coverage is while the secondary insurance is well over $100 a month for the same coverage.
The plan I get from my employer is over $300 a month and is the middle-of-the-road PPO gig. This on the surface sounds good if you got two, but the managing company is out-of-state. I live in Utah and the company is from Texas, limiting provider choices. Then I have the dreaded end of year, when everything can change, providers and premiums.

[JimsObie]

Last Page 8. (copy write protected by Justin Dodson, Chicago, IL)
I strongly encourage everyone to check out your nearest VA hospital and decide if you want your and every Americans’ healthcare to be as intolerable as our Veterans’. If we do nothing now, Congress will, and once they assume control over our healthcare decisions we will never be able to get it back without issuing a new Declaration of Independence.


(As a note from me JimsObie, I find this article quite interesting. And if you do not visit a VA hospital, a sit with residents for awhile to see their care first hand, then you cannot make a judgement on this. I did. Quite an eye opener. Should our health care be turned over to our government we are in for a much worse system than we currently have. It is a horrific system that the VA is working under. The paper work is all messed up. The care is only adequate made by some of the caring people working with the paitients because the medical equipment and drugs are not. Many of the doctors are not caring nor are they up on the latest treatment plans. AND if they are they can't get the help for the patient needed. Government hands in this matter will destroy our freedom of choice and our quality of life. VISIT A VA HOSPITAL TODAY AND SEE FOR YOURSELF THE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES)

[JimsObie]

Page 7 (copy write protected by Justin Dodson, Chicago IL)

In order for this total coverage to happen the federal government will have to spend, spend, spend! This brings us back to the point made by Peter Orszag in 2008. If the fed flexes it’s spending muscle then there needs to be corresponding revenues garnered for the system to sustain itself.
Where does the federal government get its revenue? That's right! TAXES!! So, it follows that, if the fed is going to increase spending, it will have to increase taxes or the federal deficit will significantly increase because they will have to borrow the money. And that, according to the CBO, "could seriously harm the economy."
All this in the name of covering every uninsured person in the country with a blanket law that could end up forcing Americans in to a healthcare system that the federal government has proven that it cannot manage... whether we like it or not.
People, It’s Time for Action!
The 111th United States Congress has started its August vacation. Supposedly, many of the Representatives and Senators will use this time for town hall meetings with their constituents. Right. Nonetheless, this is an opportune time to flood their voice mail, email, snail mail, etc. with demands for straight answers! It is our duty, as citizens, to hold our elected government officials accountable for the actions they take on our behalf.

[JimsObie]

Page 6.(copy write protected by Justin Dodson, Chicago IL)
Enter stage left - President Obama: Recently Obama summoned the CBO director (Elmendorf) to a closed door meeting. And wouldn't you know it! Almost immediately after the meeting, the CBO put out a statement saying that a government run healthcare option could coexist with private healthcare options. Ah, Chicago style politico-mafia tactics at its best! But how does the CBO explain this flip? It's because in order to come to that conclusion, the CBO had to significantly reduce the estimate on the number of people who would sign up for the plan. They dropped it to only 12 million. This gives the Democrats the green light to declare that "this legislation could cover 97% of the projected U.S. population by 2019, excluding illegal immigrants." (TheHill.com)
Note: The Department of Homeland Security estimated in December 2003 that 8 million to 12 million illegal aliens resided in the United States and 700,000 new illegals enter and stay each year. (Fred Elbel, The Social Contract, Volume 17, Number 4 (Summer 2007)